I get a number of questions related to safety and standards when transporting a wheelchair user in a vehicle. These are tough issues since many of the standards that apply are not mandatory but voluntary.

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Wheelchair Transportation Safety (RERC WTS) is the top source for information on this subject. They have information for consumers, prescribers, manufacturers and trasnporters on their site. They are the number 1 authority on the subject.

Their mission:
“The mission of the RERC WTS is to build on the accomplishments of the past RERC to make measurable improvements in transportation safety, usability, and independence for people who remain seated in their wheelchairs when traveling in public, school, and private motor vehicles. The research and development portion of our program includes six project areas that address many transportation issues confronted by wheelchair users, including entering and exiting vehicles and appropriate levels of wheelchair crashworthiness, wheelchair securement, and occupant restraint in different types of vehicles and transportation modes. Development and implementation of national and international voluntary industry standards, transfer of proven concepts in new technologies and procedures to the real world, and dissemination of new and existing knowledge to key stakeholders are also fundamental activities that are critical to the goals of the RERC WTS.”

You can find all sorts of great information on their website at:
http://www.rercwts.pitt.edu/RERC_WTS2_Intro/RERC_WTS2_Intro.html